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Seaspan, a leader in world shipping, announced that they would be contracting Chinese Shipbuilder Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation for the manufacture of five (5) fuel efficient container ships. The ships are of the 14,000 TEU variety and are to be constructed in South Korea and delivered in 2015. These ships will make use of Seaspan’s Action on Vessel Energy Reduction (SAVER) schematics for its construction. Seaspan’s recent design improvements will be evident in the design since the SAVER design is developed as a means of fuel efficient container ship operation. The energy benefits of the SAVER design are likely to save companies millions of dollars in fuel and improve the emissions as a result of SAVER class ships utilizing new Clean Ballast technology. A joint effort by MARIN and Marine Design and Research Institute of China (MARIC) was responsible for the creation of this new class of ship which optimizes the hull for movement and minimizes fuel consumption, thereby reducing the overhead cost to the operators. The development of this hull was unique in that it challenged the usual design methodology and applied a combination of mathematical computations with accurate modeling data to create a hull that has a… read more »

When it comes to fuel efficiency of vehicles, bicycles come in first. Given the number of calories it takes to operate them, bicycles are by far the best means of transport, but the modern world has a need to transport so much material that bicycles can only carry a small portion. The rest must be carried by motorized vehicles, which are most often powered by an oil based fuel. Given the rising costs of oil and the growing awareness of its limited availability, increasing attention is being paid to lowering consumption rates in transportation vehicles. Trucks are increasingly relying on composite materials that are lighter in weight than the traditional steel alloys that have been used in their construction. Less weight means better mileage. In addition, truck motors are being refashioned to take advantage of new methods for injecting fuel into cylinders. Pressurized injection and preheating of fuel allows for faster and more complete combustion, boosting power while also lowering emissions. Natural gas can be used where it is plentiful to power trucks. This provides a cleaner-burning alternative to oil based diesel. While ships continue to grow larger in capacity and fuel consumption, the actual amount of fuel expended per… read more »

Increases in global trade have prompted both new port development projects as well as expansion of existing harbors. While these trends are occurring worldwide, several specific areas have recently announced major new developments. These include new construction efforts in the Middle East, North America, Eastern Europe, and East Asia. In the Middle East, Iraq is building new facilities for its recently reconstituted navy at the Umm Qasr Naval Base. This facility is positioned along the southern edge of that country astride an estuary that empties into the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is assisting in the project. The facilities are designed to offer berths for warships that will provide protection for the nation’s vital oil exports. Securing the myriad components of the oil industry is considered critical for the country’s recovery from recent wars. In North America, expansion of the Port of Anchorage, Alaska faces special challenges due to the region’s high tides and seismic activity. Extensive numbers of berms are required to channel the currents that can otherwise surge along any pier that might be created. Altogether 135 acres of land are being developed to handle the expansion meant to serve tanker and cargo vessels. In… read more »